When starting a relationship with someone online that you have never met before it is important to be smart, cautious, and to use your common sense. Treat this "online" relationship like you would any other new relationship. Let the person earn your trust before you provide them with any personal information such as your full name, email, phone number, or address. Always, Always Have a Separate Email Account for Dating Services and Talking With People You Meet Online. Most online dating services recommend this and for a good reason too. It’s nicer and easier to scan through a list of emails that only relate to your dating life than to have them interspersed with all your other emails. But, the biggest reason of all to have a separate email account is to know clearly that your address book is not anything else but about dates only. This can save you from any embarrassment caused if you use your other email address books and accidentally forward the wrong email to any of your contacts.

Start slow and watch out for someone who seems to be good to be true. Begin by communicating solely via email, then pay attention to the person's behavior and the way they describe themselves. Look out for any inconsistencies in the information they provide, this is a sign that the person is not being honest with you. Trust your instincts and your intuition and discontinue further contact if you do not trust the person or if they make you feel uncomfortable.

Ask many questions to get a better idea of what the person is really like. Find out where they grew up, their line of work, what they do for fun and how they are involved in the community. Remember that some people may paint a different picture of themselves in order to win you over, they may misrepresent their age, looks etc. Try to keep a record of the correspondences that you have had with them so you can refer back to information as needed and check for inconsistencies.

Honesty is the key to developing a good and healthy relationship. It is important that you are direct and honest about who you are and what you are looking for in a relationship. Try to include photos and essays in your profile as they convey more information about you and build trust amongst viewers looking at your profile. Request a photo. A photo will give you a good idea of the person's appearance, which may prove helpful in achieving a gut feeling. In fact, it’s best to view several images of someone in various settings: casual, formal, indoor and outdoors

Meet when YOU are ready. The beauty of meeting and relating online is that you can collect information gradually, later choosing whether to pursue the relationship in the offline world. You never are obligated to meet anyone, regardless of your level of online intimacy. Spend time getting to know the person so you can find out as best you can about the person before meeting them. Don't be pressured into meeting someone, only meet them if you feel completely comfortable. Always follow your intuition and if the person makes you uncomfortable, stop corresponding with them. You can always find other suitable matches in ChristianDatingInfo.com that meet your criteria.

When you meet, it's a great opportunity to get to know the person even better but you must look out for your safety at all times. Try to follow these guidelines:

You should be concerned if your date exhibits any of the following behavior without providing an acceptable explanation:

Provides inconsistent information about age, interests, appearance, marital status, profession, employment, etc. Refuses to speak to you on the phone after establishing ongoing, online intimacy.

Fails to provide direct answers to direct questions.

Appears significantly different in person from his or her online persona.

Never introduces you to friends, professional associates or family members.

Never do anything you feel unsure about. If you are in any way afraid of your date, use your best judgement to diffuse the situation and get out of there. Excuse yourself long enough to call a friend for advice, ask someone else on the scene for help or slip out the back door and drive away. If you feel you are in danger, call the police; it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Never worry or feel embarrassed about your behavior; your safety is much more important than one person’s opinion of you.